I am beginning to really like Aron Baynes

This guy was just an "NBA guy" in my mind before watching him play for the Cs since the beginning of this season. When he played for the Pistons, I probably saw him play a few minutes here and there last year (and, he really didn't impress very much), but since he joined the Cs I see him in a very different light.

This guy is only scoring seven per game with five boards per game, but he is becoming a very important member of our 2017-18 team. First, in my mind, is his toughness and hustle. He just always looks ready to go and to take on every challenge when he comes into the game. He certainly is not getting pushed around, he gets every rebound that he gets his hands on, runs the floor and never jogs, he seems to play very well within his skill level on offense as he does not take bad shots or even force shots when close to the hoop, he makes good, solid, safe passes when at the high post, etc.

So far, he has been a very nice pick up who may need to be re-signed for at least one more additional season.

Baynes impact goes to show how meaningless certain stats are, we had a soft big with nice shooting stats who couldn't do real big man things for years. Baynes game doesn't show up on the stat sheets, but you need players like that to protect the paint and compliment your stars, Baynes is a very good and needed role player.

I questioned it when we picked Baynes up.

So far, I'm very happy we did.

I agree with Cow; we needed a player like this.

cowens/oldschool wrote:Baynes impact goes to show how meaningless certain stats are, we had a soft big with nice shooting stats who couldn't do real big man things for years. Baynes game doesn't show up on the stat sheets, but you need players like that to protect the paint and compliment your stars, Baynes is a very good and needed role player.

Yes, I was impressed with Baynes when he played for Australia during the Rio Olympics. I thought that there was an immovable mountain of a man that the C's could use. I'm happy that he's now with the C's. He's got some "game" as he has a decent shot from the 15' to 20' range and he's an excellent FT shooter. Not to mention that he fills up the middle and can play some "D". The C's have some players with size and grit who also possess an edge of nastiness, reminding me a bit of the "Bad Boys" of the Pistons from a while back - Baynes, Theis, Smart, and the yet to play Morris. Ironically, Baynes and Morris came to the C's via the Pistons. The C's are no longer "Mr. Nice Guys".

cowens/oldschool wrote:Baynes impact goes to show how meaningless certain stats are, we had a soft big with nice shooting stats who couldn't do real big man things for years. Baynes game doesn't show up on the stat sheets, but you need players like that to protect the paint and compliment your stars, Baynes is a very good and needed role player.

Cow

The Celtics have not had a big physical center sine Danny screwed up and traded Perkins for Jeff Green.  That was On February 24, 2011. Perkins and Nate Robinson were traded to Oklahoma City Thunder for Jeff Green and Nenad Krstić (single ply tissue paper)

However Perkins could not throw the ball in the ocean even if he was standing on an island.

Baynes is much more than just a big physical center that relishes an opportunity to knock the crap out of opponents.  He is solid offensively even with very limited opportunities.  

I saw him play a very limited number of times and thought, ok that is a nice physical big.

The one thing that this team has been missing was a big and strong presence in the middle.  The type of guy that is sure to give pause to those (I am taking it to the rim guys) The message is clear : If you want to take it to the rim, come on.  Be prepared to get blasted and prepare yourself for a trip to the charity stripe if you can peel yourself off of the floor.

I think that Barnes is a significant upgrade and a main reason why Boston's defense is looking rather stout.

His signing was an under the radar addition but one of the best moves of the summer.

Good job Danny!

dboss

That's why it was really irritating to hear that Baynes should be traded in December, even before Baynes played his first game with the Celtics.

We needed someone like Kendrick Perkins.
Baynes is way better than Perk.
It's a good fit.

Great move by Ainge to sign Baynes.

Having Baynes is also making Al Horford a better overall player.

Just look at Horford's stats with the Celts this year and last year.

fierce wrote:Having Baynes is also making Al Horford a better overall player.

Just look at Horford's stats with the Celts this year and last year.

fierce,

I agree.  Horford is better as a 4, or stretch 5, than he is as a traditional down-and-dirty 5.  Having someone that can handle the beef down low frees him up.  Last year there was no way he could have guarded The Freak because the rest of their front court would have had a field day.  Last year there was no way he could have guarded Porzingis because Kanter would have completely eaten us up (yes, I know Kanter didn't get traded to the Knicks until this year, I'm just saying that the team we had last year going up against this year's Knicks would have struggled more than this year's Celtics vs this year's Knicks).

In almost the same number of minutes, 33 vs 32.3, for Al Horford/game:

Stat...................2016-2017.................2017-2018
FGA---------------11.8---------------------11.2
FG%--------------47.3%-------------------51.8%
FTA----------------2.0----------------------3.0
3PTFGA-----------3.6----------------------4.0
3PTFG%----------35.5%------------------45.0%
eFG%-------------52.7%------------------59.8%
REBOUNDS-------6.8----------------------8.8
ASSISTS----------5.0----------------------4.2
TURNOVERS------1.7----------------------2.4
POINTS-----------14.0---------------------15.8
STEALS AND BLOCKS ARE BOTH CLOSE

More points, with fewer fgas, better efficiency.  Better rebounding.  Assists off a bit but I'm betting that will improve as chemistry builds between Al and Kyrie and the rest of the team, who are new to him.


bob



.

bobheckler wrote:

fierce wrote:Having Baynes is also making Al Horford a better overall player.

Just look at Horford's stats with the Celts this year and last year.

fierce,

I agree.  Horford is better as a 4, or stretch 5, than he is as a traditional down-and-dirty 5.  Having someone that can handle the beef down low frees him up.  Last year there was no way he could have guarded The Freak because the rest of their front court would have had a field day.  Last year there was no way he could have guarded Porzingis because Kanter would have completely eaten us up (yes, I know Kanter didn't get traded to the Knicks until this year, I'm just saying that the team we had last year going up against this year's Knicks would have struggled more than this year's Celtics vs this year's Knicks).

In almost the same number of minutes, 33 vs 32.3, for Al Horford/game:

Stat...................2016-2017.................2017-2018
FGA---------------11.8---------------------11.2
FG%--------------47.3%-------------------51.8%
FTA----------------2.0----------------------3.0
3PTFGA-----------3.6----------------------4.0
3PTFG%----------35.5%------------------45.0%
eFG%-------------52.7%------------------59.8%
REBOUNDS-------6.8----------------------8.8
ASSISTS----------5.0----------------------4.2
TURNOVERS------1.7----------------------2.4
POINTS-----------14.0---------------------15.8
STEALS AND BLOCKS ARE BOTH CLOSE

More points, with fewer fgas, better efficiency.  Better rebounding.  Assists off a bit but I'm betting that will improve as chemistry builds between Al and Kyrie and the rest of the team, who are new to him.


bob



.

surprised you didn't try to slant some stats to prove how good KO is/was bob, glad you finally see winning teams still need dirty lunch pail players....last game KO played 12 minutes, hes no starter IMHO, unless you like soft teams.

cowens/oldschool wrote:

bobheckler wrote:

fierce wrote:Having Baynes is also making Al Horford a better overall player.

Just look at Horford's stats with the Celts this year and last year.

fierce,

I agree.  Horford is better as a 4, or stretch 5, than he is as a traditional down-and-dirty 5.  Having someone that can handle the beef down low frees him up.  Last year there was no way he could have guarded The Freak because the rest of their front court would have had a field day.  Last year there was no way he could have guarded Porzingis because Kanter would have completely eaten us up (yes, I know Kanter didn't get traded to the Knicks until this year, I'm just saying that the team we had last year going up against this year's Knicks would have struggled more than this year's Celtics vs this year's Knicks).

In almost the same number of minutes, 33 vs 32.3, for Al Horford/game:

Stat...................2016-2017.................2017-2018
FGA---------------11.8---------------------11.2
FG%--------------47.3%-------------------51.8%
FTA----------------2.0----------------------3.0
3PTFGA-----------3.6----------------------4.0
3PTFG%----------35.5%------------------45.0%
eFG%-------------52.7%------------------59.8%
REBOUNDS-------6.8----------------------8.8
ASSISTS----------5.0----------------------4.2
TURNOVERS------1.7----------------------2.4
POINTS-----------14.0---------------------15.8
STEALS AND BLOCKS ARE BOTH CLOSE

More points, with fewer fgas, better efficiency.  Better rebounding.  Assists off a bit but I'm betting that will improve as chemistry builds between Al and Kyrie and the rest of the team, who are new to him.


bob



.

surprised you didn't try to slant some stats to prove how good KO is/was bob, glad you finally see winning teams still need dirty lunch pail players....last game KO played 12 minutes, hes no starter IMHO, unless you like soft teams.

Cow,

Three things:

1.  I was responding to a post about Al Horford.  Not Baynes, Theis, Semi and certainly not a player who is no longer a Celtic.

2.  Kelly played 12 minutes vs the Spurs, but 29 minutes in the previous game vs Atlanta.  That's 41 minutes in 2 games, slightly less than the 22.3mpg he's averaging so far.  Maybe the 12 minutes was an aberration that dragged the average down?  Baynes is averaging 19mpg and started twice, so he has started more games than Kelly but is playing less.  In fact, Baynes has played more minutes off the bench (almost 58 minutes in 3 games = 19.33mpg) than he has as a starter (about 36 minutes total in 2 games = 18mpg).   Apparently, starting isn't a direct correlation to minutes played.  Logically speaking

3.  I don't need to slant stats, most of the stats I cite are created by others and not me anyway, nor do I deny them.  Sometimes they reveal things my eyes miss and I'm aware of that possibility.



bob


.

I've liked Baynes since I saw him in preseason. He's much more physical than the platoon he replaced.


KJ